Profile

Rubén Rivera Ortiz is an associate in the environmental area. He has extensive experience in providing comprehensive advice to clients throughout the life cycle of their projects, specializing in environmental and regulatory due diligence processes, identifying potential risks for multinational corporations in the industrial, infrastructure and real estate sectors. He has provided strategic advice to U.S. companies with secondary recycling operations on the U.S.-Mexico border, and has successfully managed the obtaining of federal authorizations, concessions, licenses and permits for industrial facilities, real estate developments and hotel projects in various regions of the country. His practice is characterized by constant interaction with Mexican regulatory authorities such as SEMARNAT, CONAGUA and other bodies at federal, state and local levels, which has allowed him to consolidate a solid experience both in negotiating with private actors and in dealing with governmental entities.

Studies:

• Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Environmental & Energy Law, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
• Diploma in Corporate Compliance, Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City.
• Law degree (J.D. equivalent), Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City.

His working languages are Spanish and English.

Experience

Rubén has extensive experience in environmental and regulatory advisory services to national and international companies. During more than six years in the firm’s Environmental and Regulatory Law practice, he has accompanied companies in the planning, development and operation of projects throughout their entire life cycle, combining a strategic approach with a solid understanding of the Mexican and international regulatory framework.

He has advised U.S. companies in the operation of secondary recycling plants on the Mexico-U.S. border, designing and implementing legal and regulatory strategies that have optimized temporary import processes, waste classification and environmental compliance, achieving reduced regulatory burdens and ensuring operational continuity. He has also participated in environmental and regulatory due diligence processes for multinational corporations in infrastructure, real estate and project finance sectors, with special emphasis on obtaining authorizations, concessions, licenses and permits.

Likewise, he has obtained concessions in Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zones that have enabled the development of important coastal projects in Acapulco, Cancún, La Paz, Los Cabos and Playa del Carmen.

During 2025, he collaborated in research conducted by the Legal Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the global criminalization of environmental crimes and climate change-related damages, frequently under non-environmental laws such as anti-corruption, anti-money laundering or organized crime prevention laws.

Professional Organisations

• Candidate for admission to the New York State Bar, having taken the Uniform Bar Examination in July 2025.

Recognition

• CALI Excellence for the Future Award, granted for achieving the highest grade in the Professional Responsibility Law in U.S. course (Fall 2024).